The Street Seen: Ashland Apartments
602 to 612 Ashland Avenue Between 6th & Highland
In 1924, a 2-story apartment building (that still exists) is constructed on the south side of Ashland Avenue between 6th & Highland.
In 1922, Chicago milk retail delivery man Oscar B. Mortensen1 (age 47), his wife Margaret Mortensen (age 34), and their son (age 15) move to Santa Monica. They buy a property at 2723 Pico Blvd. Oscar remains in the milk delivery business.
In 1924, Mortensen announces a 2-story, 12-unit apartment building on Ashland at 6th St - to be designed and built by the Roth and Maule Building Company.2
There are two stucco-on-wood-frame structures on the 50-ft x 125-ft vacant lot:3
602 & 606 Ashland: 8 units 28 rooms a 46-ft x 76-ft plan costing $20,000
612 Ashland: 4 units 12 rooms a 41-ft x 36-ft plan costing $12,000
Owners Oscar and Margaret Mortensen move into the Ashland Apartments as on-site managers.
After Oscar’s death (d. 1951), Margaret (d. 1967) lives in the building until about 1965.
Oscar B. Mortensen (1875 – 1951). Born in Sweden, Mortensen comes to the US at a young age. From 1898 to 1921, he is in the retail milk delivery business/milk wagon driver in Chicago. In 1898, Mortensen hurriedly marries Eva Vincent Russell (1882 – 1978). In 1906, he marries Margaret V. Nordell (1888 - 1967). In 1922, the Mortensen family comes to Santa Monica. Oscar is a salesman for the Crescent Creamery Company (1549 12th St).
Roth and Maule Building Company is a Santa Monica construction company operating from about 1922 to 1924. The principals are Henry Martin Roth (1881 – 1934), a contractor, and Charles Orlo Allen Maule (1878 – 1955), a lumber merchant. Roth and Maule design and build the 1923 Mills Fraser Building at 1347 4th St.
The Mortensen apartment property is Lot 166 of Block K of the 1905 Ocean Park Terrace Tract.
